The University of Dayton's "I Love UD" month encourages giving back to others and the University.

Flyer basketball fans can donate sheets and towels for St. Vincent de Paul at the Jan. 31 women's game and Feb. 1 men's game. Everyone who donates will receive a raffle ticket for prizes awarded at halftime of those games. Later in the month, students, faculty and staff will conduct donation drives for the local homeless agency Homefull and the Urban Child Development Resource Center.

"The University of Dayton is known for serving others. 'I Love UD' month is when we celebrate and re-emphasize the importance of the entire University of Dayton community — students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — spreading Flyer love and acts of kindness," said David Harper, University of Dayton vice president for advancement. "We encourage anyone receiving an act of kindness to share their story on Twitter or Facebook using #BeUDKind. Every act of kindness can inspire others."

The University also is encouraging alumni to help a new generation of Flyers have the kinds of opportunities and memories they so fondly remember.

"The University of Dayton student neighborhoods and porch culture play big roles in those memories and in our community, so we hope to add another house in the student neighborhood," Harper said. The fundraising goal for the house, which will be built to the National Green Building Gold Standards and supports the University's sustainability initiatives, is $300,000. The University will have a 48-hour giving marathon Feb. 24-26.

"Anyone can make donations to any area of the University they are passionate about and where they feel they can make a difference," Harper said. "We've heard from many alumni how much their houses meant to them, so we are making this an emphasis during 'I Love UD' month."

"I Love UD" also supports the University's Black History Month events and celebrates the University's culture of diversity, Harper added. A list of University of Dayton Black History Month events is in the related links.

While "I Love UD" encourages giving, good deeds and a culture of diversity, there's one thing it's not supporting — wearing other schools' gear. Students can get an "I Love UD" shirt in exchange for "breaking up" with a shirt from another school.

"Our 'I Love UD' break-up days have been popular among students," Harper said. "In the two previous years of 'I Love UD' month, we've had students exchange hundreds of shirts we then donated to charity."

For more information on "I Love UD" month, visit the related link or call Melanie Henterly, marketing and communications coordinator for the University of Dayton advancement division, at 937-229-2906.

For more information, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at 937-229-3391 or srobinson@udayton.edu.